Tech Bytes: Cryptocard Develops Java Password System

Cryptocard, an Internet information security company, said it has begun shipping the first Java-based authentication token.

The administrative simplicity of a system based on the Java programming language makes feasible the use of one-time passwords throughout an organization, Cryptocard said.

One-time passwords, which are highly desirable in bank wire transfer rooms and other sensitive operations, require the random generation of codes. The codes would normally be issued by special hardware or software at the workstation and would be unique to each transaction.

Cryptocard's ST-1 soft token, which resembles an on-screen calculator, gets around the need for add-on hardware or software at the desktop. Cryptocard clients will be able to choose between hardware or software token systems and whether to manage them centrally or in a decentralized way, said Stephen D. Seal, Cryptocard vice president of development and support.

"As long as you have access to the Web and a browser, you can generate a one-time password for secure access," Mr. Seal said. "This changes the paradigm for the use of token-card technology."